Page 79 of A Duet of Darkness and Dreams

“I’m okay with sharing,” Joel says, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I grin, but a loud scrape of a chair leg moving across the floormakes it disappear. Dave stands and heads for his bedroom without looking back.

“You’re not even going to say good night?” Key asks after him.

Dave waves over his head then disappears, his door clicking shut behind him.

Joel scoffs. “He’s such a moody bastard lately.” He stands and stretches. “Last chance to steal my bed.”

My eyes flick to where Dave disappeared. “I promise, I’m okay out here. Besides, I have this to keep me warm,” I say, gesturing to the gas fire warming the large open space.

“Right, well, good night then,” says Joel, picking up his glass and patting Key on the back.

Then it’s just Key and me left. “I’m going to sleep too,” he says. “I just wanted to say that we’re all glad you’re here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And not just today. You’ve done so much for us . . . for Becks . . . and with you agreeing to come on tour, it’s going to be great. I just wanted you to know how much all of that means to us.”

“Thanks, Key. It means a lot to me too.”

He smiles softly, then stands and disappears down the hallway. Then it’s just me with the lights of the tree, the sound of the wind blowing outside, and the whooshing noise of the gas fire. Taking a deep breath, I stand and get the couch ready for sleeping on before grabbing my bag and heading for the bathroom.

Teeth brushed, I slide under the covers of my makeshift bed and reach for the wrapped package in my bag. My fingers brush along the snowman-covered paper. It’s not much, but it’s something. I place the little box under the Christmas tree with the handful of other gifts already there, then climb into bed.

Two hours later,I’m still awake. What had at first been soothing white noise from the wind outside has turned into a full-blown howl. And the fireplace, when left on for too long, makes me sweat, but then it’s too cold out here when it’s off, forcing me to continually switch between the covers on or off of me. Another sleepless half hour, and I get off the couch and head to the kitchen for a glass of water. After filling a glass, I hop up and sit on the cool counters.

The kitchen light flickers on, and my eyes clamp shut against the brightness.

“Oh, shit, sorry. I didn’t know anyone was in here.” The lights go off again and when I open my eyes, white spots dance in my vision as the silhouette of Dave walks toward me.

“I was just getting a drink.”

“Me too,” he says, opening the cupboard across from me and getting his own glass. “Didn’t mean to blind you.”

As my eyes adjust back to the darkness, I begin to see Dave a little more clearly. Thankfully, he’s not just in his boxers like last time. He’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, and he looksgood. Outrageously good.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Hmm?” I ask, blinking a few times.

He smiles and takes a sip of his water. “Is that why you’re up at three in the morning? You can’t sleep?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Me neither.”

“Christmas excitement?” I ask.

He laughs through his nose. “Hardly.” He walks over to lean against the counter next to me. “Not much for me under that tree, not that I really need anything. Christmas was never really a bigdeal at my house growing up. I wasn’t like Joel and Key, who waited up all night for Santa. My dad told me flat out when I was five that Santa was bullshit and since that moment, I guess, he figured since I knew Santa wouldn’t come, he didn’t have to bother doing anything.”

My chest aches. “Dave, that’s so sad.”

“Anyway, it’s been a while since I’ve actually had fun at Christmas, but I’m not sleepless because of it.”

“Why can’t you sleep then?” I ask.

He shrugs and takes another sip of water. “Probably because I feel guilty that, out of all people, Joel offered you a bed before I did.”

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